John Gould

John Gould, ‘The Bird Man’, acquired material for his seven-volume book The Birds of Australia on a visit to the new Australian colonies between 1838 and 1840. This watercolour painting was based on Gould’s rough sketches from that visit.

Gould began his career as an apprenticed gardener. He went on to become a taxidermist, natural history dealer, accomplished author and ornithologist.